Emerson

I needed a break from the competitive nature of Berkeley and a change of scenery. I wanted to take some time to travel so study abroad gave me that break without falling behind. Denmark felt like a good choice since I had never been to Europe and Denmark's central location would make it easy to travel to lots of other countries while visiting. Plus, it's rated the second happiest country and that sounded like a lovely place to live!

Wake up, eat a healthy breakfast from affordably priced groceries, take the metro from across the street directly to campus, go to class for 1-2 hours, grab lunch from the canteen, take the metro to my favorite cafe in the park in the center of the city, do homework, grab dinner with friends at a pub or at one of our apartments, movie/game night, go to sleep.

I took mostly breadth requirement courses which where both quite far out of my area of interest: Theology and Literature. Both classes had an emphasis on Danish culture and figures. In Danish academic style they were much less involved in person than Berkeley classes, both only meeting for an hour a week and putting a lot of the expectation on the students to familiarize yourself with the material. There is a lot of independence in the Danish education systems and professors act more as support than dispensers of knowledge. I really enjoyed both classes and they helped me learn more about the country I was living in.

While I was abroad, I had the chance to visit the city in Poland where my cousin lives and where my family immigrated from. It wasn't touristy and I was asked many times by locals why I would take the time to visit when there are other more popular cities. It was strange visiting a place I had only ever heard about and meeting family I had only ever chatted on Instagram with before. I loved the city and exploring a place that despite never seeing it before, felt familiar. There was a strange feeling of connection and disconnection all at the same time. On the one hand, my cousin and I got on instantly and I was surrounded by the foods and sounds of my family and childhood. Yet, at the same time, there where foods I had never heard of, customs, language, and culture I would never fully understand. I brought me a deeper understanding of how I related to my heritage and a clearer picture of the gaps I wanted to fill.

Being abroad helped me build back the confidence I had lost while in college and figure out my goals for the rest of my undergrad experience. The independence and breadth of experiences I had helped me realize that my ability to adapt and explore were assets that I already had and could rely on. I went to a lot of different countries all on my own and it helped me trust my gut and expand the limits of what I believed I could do. I also had the chance to explore other interest I hadn't before. I took a dance class, got better at cooking, and discovered my passion for veterinary science while shadowing a veterinary lab at the university. Study abroad gave me the time and space to explore and helped me develop a more well-rounded lifestyle.

Take the time you need to consider what you want to get out of your study abroad program and really throw yourself into all the opportunities you get once you're there. Study abroad is such an amazing opportunity to grow in a different setting and in different directions. Your goals can help guide that growth and help the experience feel even more fulfilling. Just remember that the best experiences are often the things you least expect.